He said: "It might be in my party's interest for him to sit there, it's not in the national interest and I would say, for heaven's sake man, go."

Mr Corbyn's arrival in the Commons chamber was met by stony silence from his backbenchers.

As he took to the Despatch Box, many Labour MPs sat with their arms crossed.

The Labour leader used PMQs to challenge Mr Cameron over "disgraceful" levels of child poverty and said the referendum result had been a rejection of the status quo.

Mr Cameron hit back: "Of course we need to do more to tackle poverty, we need to do more to spread wealth and opportunity, but to try and pretend that last Thursday's vote was a result of the state of the British economy is complete nonsense.

"We all have to reflect on our role in the referendum campaign," he added. "I know he says he put his back into it. All I would say is I would hate to see him when he is not trying."

It comes after former acting Labour leaders Harriet Harman and Margaret Beckett called on Mr Corbyn to fall on his sword.

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Labour MP Pat Glass announced she was quitting the education brief she was given after the mass frontbench walkout, saying the situation was "untenable".

Momentum, the grassroots movement that mobilises in support of Mr Corbyn, said it was postponing a rally planned for tonight "due to overwhelming demand".

The Labour leader had been due to address the event, with Public and Commercial Services union chief Mark Serwotka and Fire Brigades Union general secretary Matt Wrack also speaking in support of him.

Shadow chancellor John McDonnell called on the party's MPs to "play by the rules".

"It looks as though we will have a leadership election," he told Sky News

"All we are saying to Labour MPs is, play by the rules of our party and, if there is to be a democratic election, respect the decisions of our members."

Ms Harman said Mr Corbyn had "no right or mandate" to stay in office.

In a strongly worded appeal to him to quit, the former deputy leader said: "Jeremy earned the right to take up the leadership of the party with a big majority. But he has failed and he has no right or mandate to stay in office despite his failure and take the party down with him.

"Leading the party is a privilege not a right. You earn the opportunity to lead by being elected, to lead the whole party, our voters, members, councillors and MPs.

"But winning the leadership election does not give you the right to continue in post if you fail. If Jeremy goes now, he will earn the respect and admiration of the party. If he stays he will be responsible for damage to the party on the gravest scale.

"No-one has the right to do that. Being leader of the Opposition is an immensely difficult task. Much harder than it looks. The starting point should be to support the leader and help them succeed. And that is what I have done over the past three decades and with six leaders through thick and thin.

"But I have no right to stand by and let our party collapse in disarray. That is what has happened under Jeremy and that has to stop. I urge Jeremy to stand down."